The Children's Investment Fund Foundation (UK)

Analysis

The Children's Investment Fund Foundation (UK) is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 2002, 24 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and overseas aid/famine relief, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04370006). It says it makes grants to organisations, sponsors or undertakes research and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Children's Investment Fund Foundation (UK) reported income of £69.2m and spending of £472.4m, spending 682% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £17.9m to £69.2m (+288%), an average of +40% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 132%. Over the whole period it spent 926% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, The Children's Investment Fund Foundation (UK) sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include UK Biobank Limited (£68.9m), The Extracare Charitable Trust (£69.9m) and The Grace Trust (£68.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 90% and investments 10%. Charitable activities took 96% of spending and raising funds 3.5%. Grants to other organisations totalled £420.3m. Reserves of £1.08bn would cover about 27 months of spending at that rate. It employed 234 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.